From Anchorman To Anchorman 2: How The World Has Changed Since The Birth Of Ron Burgundy

With the glorious confirmation of Kristen Wiig for Anchorman: The Legend Continues, we got to thinking. Just what has changed in the world since that fateful year when America turned on milk?

To bring you back to 2004, let’s take a minute to set the scene. A pre-umbrella Britney Spears had a 55 hour marriage, Ashlee Simpson was caught lip-syncing on SNL, we were introduced to William Hung, Ken Jennings nerded out on Jeopardy, and Governor James McGreevey declared, “I am a gay American.” Remember all that? Great. Let’s run it down.

In 2004, we suffered the devastating loss of Friends AND Sex And The City, just as this year, we will say goodbye to 30 Rock. But we did pick up Desperate Housewives, which is certainly not as exciting as this year’s Second Coming of the one and only Arrested Development.

We also said hello-again to good ol’ GWB, while in 2013, Obama’s getting ready to age another 40 years in the next four.

Movie of 2004? Shrek 2. (Movie my sixth grade boyfriend almost kissed me at causing me to shriek in horror? Shrek 2.) Thus far in 2013, Django Unchained topped the box office, but that’s likely to change, possibly even in the next few weeks when it gets passed by Les Mis.

Phrases of the moment in 2004? The now-long-past-its-prime “That’s hot,” and similar, “You’re fired.” Now, it’s certainly up for debate with so many being tossed around, but I think “I know right,” “But that’s just me,” “Inst that,” and anything that involves the word tweet are pretty safe bets.

Oscars host (the 2003 ones held in 2004 I mean): Billy Crystal, for the EIGHTHtime, who gave the big prize to The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King, while Seth MacFarlane will take a stab at it this year. Is anyone else worried about that?

Certainly Anchorman: The Legend Continues will be born into a different world than that of Anchorman: a post-Office world, a world of Instagram, of Toddlers and Tiaras, of The Swan: Celebrity Edition. But the need for the news continues, and the boys of KVWN are sure to be as helpful and informative as ever.